Coupling.



i .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

nNDnEw wi Juni; vor

cnNrEnvILLniown, Assioma or cnn-THIRD 'ro Gnoien u. f imimn'r'r, orcEN'rEnvrLLE, Iowa;v i t ,j

coUPLINd.

To all whom-ivt-may concern.'

`Be it knownthat I, ANDREW JUDY,- a citizen of the United States, residing at Centervi1le,'in the county of Appanoose and Stateof Iowa, have invented a new andA useful` Coupling, of which the following is a specicatioin y The device forming the subject matter of this application is` a universal coupling adapted for the general transmission of power, and peculiarly useful in drivingthe' wheel of ay vehicle.y

The invention aimsk to provide a joint of thekind mentioned which will not bind in,

operation. .Another object of the invention is to avoid `the `necessity of providing a jointed axle, and, consequently, affording a stronger construction than wouldotherwise bethe case. invention is to provide a means whereby the wheelis pivoted at a pointin vertical alinement `with the center of the tread of the wheel, thus lessening the wear on tires in iurnin corners vand reducin the dra on` With the above and other objects in view,y which willy appear `as the description pron ceeds',the invention resides in the combina tion and arrangement of parts` and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes. in the precise embodiment of they invention shown can be made without departing from" the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in longitudinal section, a

device constructed in accordance with the` invention, parts appearing in elevation; Fig. 2 is a section showingthevhub member; Fig. 3 is a section of the cap; Fig. 4 is an elevation showing theclosure; Fig. 5 is an elevation showing` one of the internal rings;

A- further `object of the "adapted to receive a lubricant.

Specicationof Letters Patent. v PatnfedMay 6,1919# Appueauon med Agmf s, 1971s. y,serial 110.248,609.

plan showing the complete device..l

' The numeral l marks a tubular axle rovided with arms 2'. In the inner sur aces Fig. '.6 is an elevation showing theaxlef'as l .viewed 'from its end; and Fig. 7 isa .top

ofthe arms `2, recesses 3 are formed. `The numeral 5 denotesa hub, having an annular rim 4. and provided with .a' fixed spoke flange Gand with a 'removable spoke "flange 7, presupposing that the structure is to form a part of a driving' mechanism for a vehicle wheel. The part 5 has an internal projection 8 suppliedv on its verticalsurface with a ball race 9. In the inner end of the projection 8 of the hub 5 there isfashioned a parti-spherical recess 10. In the inner surface of the recess 10, ooves 1l are formed The grooves 11 pre erably are ,l broadened toward .their outer ends, as shown in the drawings. In the end of the projection', 8, a

seat 12 is formed. The outer surface ofthe hub 5 is supplied with a bom 14 upon which j is threaded an oil clip 15, there being a depression 16 in theouter end of the boss 14,`

A ductl? leadscfrom the depression 16 to the recess 10, and, obviously, when the cup is screwed down, a lubricant maybe forcedl into the interior of the structure, to oil its working parts. The projection` 8 of the hub 5 is supplied with openings 18, disposed parallel to the axis of the hub.

The numeral 19 denotesa cap, the outer 46. The cap 19 has a projection 20 and a reduced end'21. The reduced end 21 fits surface of which is spherical, as shown at in the seat 12 of the projection 8 on the f hub 5. In the vertical end surface of the cap 19, a ball race 22 is fashioned. The cap 19 is provided with a flared opening 23, leading'to a parti-spherical recess 24, complemental to. the recess l() in the projec-y tion 8 of the hub 5. the recess 2,4, grooves 25 are fashioned, the grooves 25 communieating with the grooves 11 in the recess 10 ofthe projection 8 on the hub, aiidbeing broadened toward their outer ends. Se

curing devices 26 which may be screws, pass througlh the openings 18` in the projection 8 of t e hub and are received terminally in threaded openings27 formed in the cap 19.

Balls 28 are located in the ball racesk 22 and 9, and between` the `balls is journaled a ring 30,I having a projecting arm 40, adapted `toloe connected with the steering mechanism ceived in the chamber formed by the recess (not shown). Thefrin' 30 rides on roller bearings 314 engaged wit the part 20 of the capv 19 and with the periphery of the 'pro'ec tion 8 on the hub'5. The ends of the ro ler bearings 31 are journaled in side rings 32. Any desired form of roller bearing ma be used at this point. The ring 30 has agxed stud 33 journaled in abus'hing 34 carried by one of, the arms 2 ofthe axle 1, and jourior naled in a washer 35 resting on the inner surface ofthe said arm. The ring 30v carries a removable stud 36 disposed diametrically oppositey to the fixed stud 33, and preferably including a threaded stem 37, engaged with the ring, the stud beingheld in place by means of aset` screw 38, threaded into 'the ring and engaging ,the stem 37 of the stud. A shaft 39 is mounted for rotation in the axle 1 and is supported onl roller bearings 41 journaled heldin place by set scews 44. The collar 43 is provided with a neck 45. The invention comprises a closure 47 which prevents dirt from entering the opening 23 in the cap 19, the closure being shaped to conform to the s herical surface 46 of the cap. The closure A 4 is supplied with lugs 48, received loosely but against rotation, in the recesses 3 fashioned in the inner urfaces of the arms 2 of the axle 1. On t e outer surface" of the closure 47, a neck 49 is formed. `The neck the ends of a compression spring 50, which,

49 and the neck.45 of the collar 43* receive presses the closure 47 up against the spherical surface 46 of the cap 19 and a'ords a dust-tight joint. A packing ring 53 may be mounted in the closure" 47 the same surrounding the shaft 30 closely, and serving to prevent ,the entrance of dust. The shaft 39 terminates 'in a spherical head 51 re- 24 of the cap 19 and the recess 10 of the projection 8 .on the hub. The head 51 is supplied with projections 52, of any desired shape, received in the channels formed by the grooves 25 of the cap 19 and the corres onding grooves 11 of the projection 8 on t e hub. v

It will be `obvious that when the shaft 39 in end rings 42 retained by collars 43 and 43H.

` closure having 1u 'amm is rotated, motionwill be transmitted to the hub 5 by way of tfe `projections 52 on the y head 51. The hub is sup orted anti-frictionally by means of the ro ler bearing 31 and the ring 30,v the ball bearings 28 taking up the thrust in` a direction parallel to the shaft 29. The hub 5 may be swung in any desired direction by means of the arm 40, which swings the ring30, and consequently the hub. f i

`It is to be observed that the hub 5 is pivoted on the shaft 39 in vertical alinement with the tread of the hub and, consequently when thehub is swung laterally, a smooth motion will result, and the wear on the tires of the vehicle, presupposing that the device is used on ka vehicle, will be eliminated. The construction is such that the jointv is. housed completely against the entrance of dust.

- The structure is strong, durable and comprises a minimum number of parts. It will be foundpeculiarly useful wherever a compact universal joint is desired in connection with a driving shaft and a rotatable'elev` ment. Having thus described the invention,

what is claimed is In a device of the class describe-dye. tubular axle provided with arms having 'recesses 'in their inner surfaces; a ring pivotally supported in the arms; a hub and a cap comprising parts journaled in thel ring and provided with a chamber having grooves, the cap having an opening leading to the cham- `ber; a shaft journaled in the axle and in- 4cluding a head located in the chamberand supplied with projections received in the grooves; and a closure for the opening bearing against the inner face of the cap, the fitting loosely but against rotation in t e recesses ofthe arms.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiixed my Signature two witnesses. ANDREW 'W. JUDY.

Witnesses:`

G. O. BARNETT, Miwimo BABNE'i'r.

in the presence of 

